Apparatus for making paper cans and the like



April 26, 1932. R. A. BENNETT APPARATUS FOR MAKING PAPER CANS AND THELIKE Filed June 1s, 1927 2 sheds-sheet 1 1"77 ve 77 tor 7770 '77d d627176Z? LYLkMf-Mu @1'1"973776295 April 26, 1932-- R. A. BENNETTAPPARATUS FOR MAKING PAPER CANS AND THE LKE Filed June 13, 192'? 2Sheets-Sheet 2 I?? v6 77 l/o 24 .Ray 711cm? H6 wnei Patented Apr. 26,1932l LIUNI'TED STATES 'PATENT' OFFICE nAYxOND A. BENNETT, OF EASTWEYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS, AssIGNon To THE BooTmsY FIBRE CAN COMrANY, orBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION or.

MASSACHUSETTS APPARATUS FOR MAKING PAPER CAN'S AND m V Appnenmi inea:une ia, i927. serial'No. 198,388.

This invention relates toimprovem'ents in apparatus for making ,papercansandthe like. More e'speciallyvitl re ates to apparatus for fasteningva disc closure in the end of a tube.

The invention provides a joint between the tube and the closure ldiscwhich is both tight and secure, in an absolute sense `;that is, so tightthat I have not been able to force liquid out from a can thus closed, byleakage through this joint, although in every other type of paper canknown to me I have been able to do that.

`Heretofore the tightness of this joint has depended upon either the fitof the edge ot a plain disc against the tube surrounding it or upon thecrimping ot the flange of a flanged disc with the end of the can body.Apparatus of the present invention makes a jointwhich combines thesetypes, there being both a crimped flange and also a tight lit to thetube of what may be called the edge of the circular part of the disk, i.e., by a bead at the corner between the flange and body portion of thedisk.

An important feature is that the invention makes it now for the firsttime'possible to apply heavy swedging and creasing pressure in thecrimping of the paper material, sufficient to make the oint actuallytight. It provides i' or confinin g the material` while being pressed,

and confining it so closely that the pressure effects its acutedeformation, beyond the elas tic limit, giving it a permanent set, in anew and impermeable conforn'iation. rlhe invention comprises apparatusfor making improved joints havinfr the above and other advantages, someof Wzliich are mentioned hereinafter; and further purposes are to makethe apparatus of a simple and durable construction; automatic in action,with certainty as to results: and easily managed by the attendant.

In `the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, the apparatus comprises a fixed form called aplug, on which are placed the tubular can-body and the flanged-diskendclosure, towardand from which is movable shape preferably acounter-part of, the end of the'plug except as to that part of the plugwhich isv opposite the annular spinning die. In action, the springplunger andthes inning die approach the disk on the end of t e plug,with the plungerl in the lead. The plunger engages the disk, presses itfirmly against the end of the plug, and then, its advance being thusarrested, remains spring pressed in close contact with the disk whilethe, annular die continues to advance and in so doing performs itscrimping and compressing operation upon the paper lips. The cylindricalex- A terior ot this plunger cooperates with the approximatelycylindrical interior face of the duter wall of the die (which engagesthe outer face of the outer lip) to make the inner and outer side wallsof a closed annular chamber having a length in the axial dimension whichsteadily diminishes as the die moves toward the plug. With the advancingof the die the lips of paper stock at first are crimped inward, in amanner already known, and are formed, without constraint other than thatincidental to the crimping; but this formation later becomes severelycompressed both in the radial direction and in the axial directionbecause of the diminishing axial dimension of the chamber Within whichthe crimped lips are contained and the perfect resistance to radialescape afforded by the two said cylindrical walls. The dimensions ofthis chamber may be designed with reference to the length and thicknessof paper, lips which are to be crimped, so that the plunger will becometightly pressed against the plug the cylindrical flange of thedisk fitswithin j form herein `illustrate before lmaterial in the annular chamberis so far `compressed as to tend to escape past the leadin edge of theplunger. The pl-unger thereafter makes the chambertight and affordsradialY support up to the limit of any pressure which it may be desiredto by further advance of the crimping head, without any contents of saidchamber having possibility to escape. There may be special formation ofthat part of the end of the plug which constitutes one end ofthe chambersok that under the high pressure it will swedge the crimped materialradially inward and outward to prevent any tendency of the lips tounroll after their supporting surfaces have been Withdrawn. The otherend of the chamber is made by the crimping die; and if the plunger benon-rotating, 'as in theV preferred its exterior should have a verysmall clearance, a few one-thou-l sandths of an inch, for example, aradial clearance of four one-thousandths, from the smallest dimension ofthe head which is ro-4 tating around it, so that there is not space forany substantial extrusion of the compacted paper stock to occur into theannular clearance between spinning head and plunger, but the pressing ofthe stock into the entrance of this clearance'makes a stiff corner beador crease in the stock. So constructed, an extraordinarily high pressurecan be applied bythe s inning head to compact the contents of the camber, so as to make the paper lill every portion ofthe die chamber.This may deform kthe paper so acutely,"and so re-shape it at its curves,that, it remains set with no tendency to unroll or open. In consequencethejoint becomes exceedingly rigid and is so tight asl to resist anyleakage through it.

It will be understood that details maybe arranged in various ways, sothat the drawings-are to be considered more or less diagrammatical. v

Itis intended that the patent shall cover by suitable expressionin theappended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty exist in theapparatus disclosed. v

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine for making. paper cansembodying the present invention; a i

Figure 2is a plan of the plug, and of the spinning head and drivingmechanism therefor;

Figure 3 is a medial section of the plug, plunger and spinning head withthe plunger in its initial engagement with the disk of the end closure;and

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are sectional views showing progressive relativepositions of the plug, plunger and spinning head and illustra-ting thecorresponding formations in the paper as the interlocking and crimpingof the material occurs. These are to an extent diaapply;

ythe hollow shaft 18.

grammatic, with certain clearance-exaggerated.

Referring to the drawings, the machine frame lOcarries a yoke.standard12-A whose arms 12 support bearing collars 16 in which a hollowshaft 18 is journaled. Tight and loosepulleys 20, 20on this'shaftprovide for the reception of power from any suitable source which can bethrown onor off themachine by the belt shifter 22. The hollow shaft .18contains a die-carrying sleeve'24 which eX- `of this cylinder 29 is themerest trifle smaller than the 26 carried inner diameter of the annulardie on the die-sleeve 24, so that it can move freely with respectthereto and yet'y these two surfaces are too close togetherl for thepaper to enter between them when under the very high pressure which islto be de scribed. Atthe back end of the sleeve24, the

plunger rod 28 carries a coiled spring 30 of the compression type in acage 32 secured to the back end of the-sleeve 24, so that the sleeve 24and spinning head 26 can continue to move forwardafter the progress ofthe plunger ,29 has been stopped by its encountering the end of a plug46. In this action the back end of the said cage -32 advancing with thesaid sleeve 24, compresses the spring 30 against across pin 34 on thearrested plunger rod 28. Rotation of the rod and plunger is prevented bya lug 36 engaging al slot in an arm 37 secured i l to the standard 12.38 may be inserted to Suitable thrust bearings relieve friction. i Inthis stage of action the annular spinning head 26 moves forwardalongthe'stationary plunger` 29, reducing the axial length of thechamber around the plunger is being accomplished. To advance the sleeve,and with it the plunger rod through the medium of the sleeve, .andspring 30, a reciprocat- 29 in-which the crimpingl ing arm 40 isfastened to the' sleeve and is engaged by a rather strong bar spring 42car-l ried on one arm of a leve-r 44 pivoted on the frame and arrangedto be rocked by a cam 45 Y V on a shaft 47 which is driven lby suitablegearing 48 forming a driving connection from Onthe frame at the ment ofthe spinning head and which the can body 50 ameter corresponding forwardend of moveplunger head. on the same axis therewith, is a plug 46 on andits endl closure 52 are mounted. This plug has :1n-outside dito theinsidediameter ablyl a raised extending axially easily within the Atheplug causingthe ed against this ridge ragainst the vflange 54 as shownin thrust into the can body as at 66 (Fig. 6). The stock of the latter,thus squeezed by the disk angle'entering it, is in turn forced intothecrevicesbetween the folds of the flange as at 68. If the pressure iscarried far enough every bit of space in the chamber may becomesoccupiedbythe paper. The ridge 49 on the plug, being between the edge of theplunger 2O and flange 54 of the disk, makes a sharp bend in the lip 50of the can body which' has been thrust over it, so that it is acutelydeformed and its elasticity destroyed at the bend. `Similarly at theother `end of the joint, the inner edge of the can body is severelycreased where the paper is compacted at theentrance of the clearancespace between the inner edge of thedie 62 and the cylindrical face oftheplunger 29.` This corner of the paper can easily be made abrupt, ifthe metallic angle -between 62 and 29 be so; and also in fact a slightrid e or bead at this inner limit of the folded bo y lip 50may be formedbythe paper stock just entering the narrow space between the die and theplunger and forming a sort` of bead as at 70 (Fig. 6);." The inner faceof the compacted mass made of the acutely bent lips 50 and 54 iscylindrical, being formed against the cylindrical surface of the lunger.The edge partof the disk port1on52 is4 sharply inclined inward inaccordance withthe inner slopeof the circular rid e 49; and at its veryedge is inclined reverse y as' shown, or may be dished-in if preferred,-but near the edge of this face thereis referring forming a bevele ridge49. When thetube which is to constitute the can body 50 has been slippedonto this plug, and its e'ndclosure, which is then lin theuform of adisk 52 having an out-turned flange 54 toward the Aspinning head along`the inside of the tube, has been seated 49, the circular peak of theridge is slightly nearer the' axis of the plug than is thelinner surfaceofthe disk closure With the tube 50 and its end-closure 152,' 54 on theplug, the cam 45 swings the lever 44 to move the plunger head 29 andspinning head 26 toward the plug, the plunger head passing flange 54until it abuts against the disk surface 52.v The diameter. of theplunger head being appreciably smaller than the diameter of the ringridge 49 the disk surface 52 is lpressed against the face of ge por'tionof this disk to bend around the inner bevel of the ridge 49 as seen inFigure 4. `The coiled spring 30 on the. plunger rod should be strongenough to force the plunger head and the disk surface` firmly againstthe face and ridge ofthe plug.`

Although the plunger head andv disk have thus become bottomed and theplungers ads. va-nce arrested, the spinning head continues to advance.YThis head has anV annular recess with its entrance slightly. beveled asat 60, to make sureof'engaging outside of the can tube according to theouter slope on the said ridge,` 50,and within is of the same diameter asthe although this outer bevel is not so pronounced said outside surfaceof the tube until at lits because at this point the angle of. disk hasbottom 62 it curves inward and then fOI'- been forced somewhat into theside 50 ofA Ward to constitute a sp1nn1ng die face, ter# the can, by theextrusion of a sort of bead." minating very close to the plungers convexyen the paper material has been thus Cylindfal ,Slllface- AS the head iSmOVed creased and compressed in the Achamber or forward-by the cam, thecylindrical lips 50, spaced between the plug, plunger and die 54 -Of thecan body and its end clOsuleare until its compactness has reached adegreev gradually turned mward by the rotating die which resists furthercompression, the bar bottom 62, crimped around and forced forspring 42yields,l allowing the peak ofv thev ward along the cylindrical surfaceof `the camy 45 to pass y'the rollers onthe actuating plunger 29. Thecurving of these portionsrlever 44. As the'lever is returned by thegives them a tendency to curl so that when cam 45 the spinning head isfirst withdrawn the leading edge of the can body lip reaches alone untilthe compressed spring 30 has been that surface of the disk 52 which isbent outexpanded. This enables the plunger 29 to ward over the ridge 49on the plug, this leadholdv the closure disk and tube against the 116ing edge slips outward along t e disk up plug 46 until the spinninghead26 and plungl Figure 5. er 29 are in the positions relative to each oth-Y he spmnmg head continues to advance; er, shown in Figure 4, with thebeveled porand because the crimped edges of tube and tion beside thecrimped end of the can. closure are now enclosed on all sides in, aFurther withdrawal of the head brings withl chamber of diminishingdimension, the spin- 29 which slips out of the ning head soon beginspowerfully to comthe can, which occurs the press the rolled or crimpedlips of the body more easily if there be a slight tapering of and disk.This movement of the head imits end portion, poses such compactingpressure on the paper The can may then be removed from the plug.material that the angle of the disk, where It is advantageous to have aplurality of its flat surface 53 joins its cylindrical flange theseplugs mounted on a rotating head stock,

54, is forced outward into the space between 4 so that whilethe sealingoperation is bein the plug ridge 49 and the can body 50; and performedon one plug a-can body with andl ecause of the bevel of the ridge isactually closure may be being los lr6 i as indicated at 31 in F ig. 5

placed on another plug and the finished can may be being removed fromthe lug last previously in operation. The use ofa head stock rotatableon an axis perpendicularsto that of the operating parts permits of aplug being swung into alignment With the spinning headl from a lateralposition With precisely the proper position! bined with a plunger,movable against the blank on the plug; and a crimping die surroundingthe plunger, movable toward the plug independently of the plunger, andacting to compress the associated flange and body-end between itself,the plug and the plunger; the peripheral portion of the plug face,outside of the Aarea overlain by the plunger, being in the same plane asthe central portion of the plug face. i A

2. Apparatus for making paper cans and the-like comprising aplug, forsupporting a can body and its flanged closure blank, combined with aplunger, movable against the blank on the plug; and a spinningcrimpingdie surrounding the plunger, movable toward the plug independently ofthe plunger, and acting to compress the associated flange and body-endbetween itself, the plug and the plunger; there being a flaring entranceto the clearance between die and plunger, and there being surface of thedie having a spinning function ad]acent to said clearance whereby theconcentrated pressure is applied l by the die to the material thereprogressively.

3. Apparatus for making paper-cans and the like comprising a plug, forsupporting a can body and its flanged closure blank, combinedl with aplunger, movable against the blank on the plug; and a crimping dicsurrounding the plunger, movable toward the plug independently of theplunger, and acting to vcompress the associated flange and body-endbetween itself, the plug and the plunger; the peripheral portion of theplug face, outside of the area overlain by the plunger, being in thesame plane as the central portion of the plug face, and the said diehaving that portion oit' its crimping surface which terminates againstthe plunger, located at a substantial distance from the plug when at theend of criinping'stroke, whereby a. substantial extent of surface of thecrimped materials then lies against the plungers side wall; there beinga small clearance space between plunger and dle'into the entrance ofwhich small space a portion of the material of the body-end may enterand be creased lwhen pressed by continued approach -of the die to theplug.

4. Apparatus for lmaking .paper cans and the like cdmprising,y incombination, ,a5 yplug arranged Ito support a can body and ailangedclosure ldisk in. the body, with an end'of the body 'and the flange ,ofthe closure projecting away from the plug; a spinnigliead movable towardsaid plug and adaptedto crimp and compress said 'projecting portionsfofthe, can andclosure together; and means, .for moving said head towardsaid plug, having a member adapted to yield when the crimping pressure ais resisted to a predetermined degree by the crimped and compressedstock.

5. Apparatus for making paper cans and the like comprising, incombination, a plug arranged tosupport a can body and a flanged closuredisk in the body with an end of the body and the ilange of the closureprojecting away from the plug; a spinning die adapted to engage saidprojecting portions of the can and closure and to crimp them into atight seam; asleeve carrying said die; a rod in said sleeve; acylindrical plunger on said rod; means for rotating said sleeve and die;and means for moving said sleeve and rod axially toward said plug,comprising a yieldable connection between the sleeve and rod whereby'the die may be moved Atoward said plug after said plunger has becomeseated on the closure.

4 6. Apparatus for making paper cans andy the like comprising, incombination, a plug whose endfor the Inost `part is plane but which hasan angular ridge extending around V its edge; a plunger with planeeiidportion' movable kagainst said plane portion of the plug; and a crimpingdie surrounding'said plunger and movable toward said plugindepend'eutlyof the plunger; said die being formed with crimping spacebetween it, the

plunger and the plug, with the side surfacev of theplunger serving asthe inner' wall, and

the end of the plug serving as the bottoni wall, of said crimping space;and said ridge on the plug being located adjacent 'to the outer wall ofsaid crimping space, and being 4adapted to eliect a swedging andcreasing of material in said crimping space when said die compresses themass. 1 I

Signed vat Boston, Massachusetts, this fourthday of June, 1927.

`RAYMOND A. BENNETT.

